BY DAN VALENTI

Or perhaps the passive voice might be better, since “they” depends on your politics, hence: It was blown.

Amazon’s pullout from Long Island City, Queens, will be a Harvard Case Study in the not-too-distant past. Why would an area shoot itself in the foot that badly? Or did it? And regardless of the efficacy of the pullout, how did it happen?

Surely, part of the explanation has an earthly origin. The other part populates an ethereal dimension, on a transcendental plane of alternative existence. THE PLANET would hazard that parallel universes figure as well. NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo and NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio thought they had this one tucked safely in the Louis Vitton, or at least Al Gore’s lockbox. They forgot their ninth grade Latin, however: Numquam duo, semper tres (“Never two, always three”). They forgot to include congresswoman Alexandria Ocascio-Cortez, that ethical stalwart from the Bronx’s 14th District who just put her boyfriend on the payroll with his own house.gov account. Nifty. He’s in charge of cleaning the bongs, a $90K gig. The kids in the office call him “Sweet Leaf.”

The pullout represents an enormous loss, though not a crushing blow, for NYC. You don’t pass up 25,000 jobs @ $150K per year plus bennies and not feel it. As many have pointed out, the revenues that would have been generated in taxes, payroll, and ancillary commerce are virtually incalculable. THE PLANET‘s comments yesterday on AOC’s “win for the little guy,” perhaps not articulated well enough, were meant only for the politics of the exit. As an astute commentators pointed out on this board, Queens isn’t even the congresswoman’s district.

That didn’t stop the wild-eyed AOQ (Ambition and Opportunism Queen) from butting in and leveraging her hypnotized Twitter “followers” to wreak havoc. Goodbye 2020 for her party. Can you imagine being a Democrat running for president having to explain this hit job to Middle America.?

If ever the Whitman School at Syracuse University or any other business school needs Exhibit A for the dangers of social media, this is it. By amplifying the voice of a shrieking, underage congresswoman with hooker’s makeup, social media has turned AOQ into Aphrodite for the tweeting minions — the very ones she has robbed of independent thought and critical ponderance. For them, social media has become a loaded AK-47 in the hands of a gorilla. For reference, check out any of The Three Stooges episodes that feature a locked-and-loaded Kong. Anyone can get hit.

In the end, Amazon got tired of dealing with extremists and “community activists” for whom profitable enterprise represents “morally sinful capitalism.” That’s precious coming from people who don’t as a whole believe in God and who have no problem courting Big Money on the campaign trail. Bezos’ Bozos also got scared by the noise being made by NYC’s rapacious unions, who raise Orson Welles if a non-union worker pulls the plug from a toaster.

Lost in the discussion from Monday’s column on Amazon was our mention of 1Berkshire’s rollout of “Berkshire 2.0.” There wasn’t even a “1.0,” but that didn’t stop The Suits and Special Interests from holding another local love-in, telling each other how great they are. We tried to point out the difference between how Pittsfield and most anywhere else recruits new business. At least Queens and NY State dealt with behemoth Amazon. Pittsfield gives away the store to inchoate enterprises of dubious pedigree run by shadowy characters. These carpetbaggers promise anything to receive taxpayer dollars but deliver little to nothing. They last months or years, but in the end, they book town for the next Suckerville (or jail), and Pittsfield politicians let them go without accountability. Guess who ends up paying?

Gotta mirror?

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“Remember that a [painting] — before being a war horse, a nude woman, or some other object — is essentially a plane surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order” — Artist Maurice Denis.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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Speaking of iBerkshires……I was not paying too much attention to them until I thought I noticed a couple of their articles jump off their front page rather quickly and I wondered why. And came to the conclusion that they were hot topics that apparently touch a nerve somewhere. The modification suggested to me that they might be controlled from city hall which of course would be no surprise.

Is this news source right here the only one city hall does not control? Is this news source why special interests lie awake at night wondering what will be exposed next?

I understood the point of yesterday’s column very well. Seems some people wanna shoot the messenger on a regular basis on this planet. Fact is you were telling us what happened with Amazon pullout, and how some elected officials actually listened to their constituents, unlike in Pissfield, not that you supported the push out. In fact, in a comment a few days back you pointed out that Amazon was bringing real jobs in nyc while it was all smoke and mirrors in pissfield.

J99
Yes, that was the essential point we tried to get across: Where legit cities go for legit companies, Pittsfield goes for (falls for) the con. There are three possible explanations for this madness: (1) Officials are actually that stupid. (2) Officials are actually that desperate. (3) Officials are on the take. It’s likely a combination of (2) and (3), with a dash (1) thrown in for SPICE.

I would pick door number 3 and throw in a wheelbarrow full of collusion.
Gossip at a watering hole suggests that in 2000-2005 special interests were skimming 15-20 percent off the average municipal budget, but soon thereafter, for whatever reason, decided to up the ante and by 2017 were grabbing for 30-35 percent. Interestingly, tax increases seem to mirror these percentages as services declined. How weird is that?

I know that sounds absurd and you are wondering who would talk of such things but use your imagination or visit youtube politics.

The elected officials did not listen to their constituents, unless you count special interests and labor unions. They brainwashed their constituents to believe Amazon was bad for them. They spread lies about Amazon and the sheeple ate it all up. One idiot held up a sign saying Amazon creates homelessness of all things. These fools will believe anything their hero AOC and other suits tell them.
This same kind of deception and trickery happens all the time here, so it’s no surprise it happens in a place like NYC.

I think the whole situation is a result of Democrat/Socialist/Progressive (DSP) tax policies and the wacko politicians who promote it like AOC.

New York is a mess. Yes, they offered tax breaks to Amazon, but who the hell wants to live there? Cuomo has been whining about a 3B+ revenue shortfall, when his own progressive tax schedule has been driving the wealthy out of New York state! Duh! Plus, it’s a sanctuary state which means massive public assistance – “ free stuff” for the illegals, paid for by the Kapanskis!

California, another DSP stronghold, another sanctuary state, mired in loss of revenues as citizens leave for states friendlier to the citizens’ pocketbooks. Feces- covered sidewalks, high crime, homeless camped all along the streets – another testament to DSP policies!

Thank you President Trump. Socialists on the far left want to destroy the Capitalist system in this country. Believe it or not, they will use the Green New Deal to do it. They must be stopped. Read the details of the Green New Deal and you will see what I mean. It’s not about climate change at all.

Your being turned into a third world economy,the wealthy keep stealing your life.We can’t afford cities anymore because of corporate blacmail.We have to pay a ransom to get a job.Should be against the law.Stop immigration by putting business owners in jail.Very cheap answer.

Taxpayers currently subsidize the big 5 oil companies almost 5 billion bucks a year. It does not come under the title of socialism therefore it is a good thing. Handouts to wealthy=good. Handouts to not wealthy=bad.

Under or Over on Pat saying Socialism before the next election is 72,000.A TwoTrillion giveaway or theft from me and my family to capitalist and the Socialist are killing capitalism…..hey whatever Fox and Trump say to say….Pat has real money

And while we’re on the subject of Amazon and Jeff Bezos – his rag the Washington Post is being sued by Nick Sandmann for their irresponsible fraudulent reporting. Go Nick – I hope you are awarded the full $250 million!

They started testing every Monday morning but results were skewed as it turns out kids fart a lot. A fart-straining filter is being shipped in from Mexico but is taking longer than expected as the burro keeps stopping to nibble on cacti.

They will not test the air filters because they do not want the answer.They should test them every month for 3 years and all conditions. They get PCB dust pulled into the building from Hickey Hill.The worst part is the ground water on the grass has polluted surface water drying then wind blown dust……..Think Love Canal

They will never test the indoor air quality,never….Play dumb ask very general questions.Marchetti knows very well whats going on below ground and on the hill.Truth is this School sits on top of a SUPER FUND SITE

Sorry, but a lot of bad information is being perpetuated on this board with respect to the Amazon pullout. While AOC may trumpet this as a win for herself and all she stands for, she was just a noisy gadfly who had approximately zero role in Amazon’s decision to go elsewhere. The man who WAS responsible is named Michael Gianaris, the NY state senator who represents the region of Queens that includes Long Island City. He also serves on the three member NY Public Authorities Control Board, without whose approval the project could not move forward. Bezos saw the handwriting on the wall – that approval would not be granted – and that was that.

All of the financial inducements offered to Amazon were at the state and local level. Not one thing to do with AOC, as she has zero authority over such decisions. She had nothing to do with it. Though she’s happy to claim otherwise, and has apparently bamboozled a great any people into believing her self-aggrandizing BS.

Oh boy. Here we go again. Another do gooder program that sounds to good to be true and probably is: free money to fix your home, courtesy of the Kapanskis, but only if you don’t earn enough to afford to fix it.

Why not make people pay it back across time with a low payment instead of forgiving the loan or not making them pay for several years ? You know, a hand up, not a hand out? Can you spell B E A CON?

Who decides the geo boundaries, and what logic is used?

What happens when 20 years from now homeowner dies and house is probated ? Will city have lien on home for unpaid loan? Will we ever get our money back?
Jeepers Wally, I thought the GE Economic Development fund , aka The Kapanskis Cash, was supposed to be used to create jobs, not give free bees to slumlords, who already get their rent paid by The Kapanskis through Sec 8.

Why is this not available to any bedraggled taxpayer if it is indeed going to be made available to landlords?

Every way you look at this we lose, Our city turns its lonely eyes to you, Dan The Man. Common sense has left and gone away.

Dan, I hope you slice and dice this and serve it up with a side of reality instead of a side of socialism.

I am totally against this, for several reasons. The main reason is that the Mayor wants the GE funds for this – NOT! I agree Johnny99 – this fund was set up to spur economic growth – not for interest free loans to homeowners. BOGUS! Then Ruffer stated in the article that they may look at making some of the loans forgiveable – WHAT? To the well-connected, I’m sure.
What a terrible proposal! The city has already given away the store to the Beacon, the Morningside project, etc.
You raised some other good points, Johnny.
Another scam brought to you by your local government leeches.

This has been transpiring for quite sometime under the guise and auspices of the Community Development Office. I know of a well known resident who has claimed indigency and in turn received a tremendous amount of home improvements, including a new furnace through this city office; not to mention a staggering amount of other perks and assistance ranging from washing machines,cell phones, medical, food, transportation, and much, much more.All with substantial hidden assets and real estate. Playing the system is how they refer to this life style.

MR F
They are counting on people forgetting or not knowing the history, now going 21 years and counting, of the $10 million in GE money. It was created for two purposes: Economic development and tax reduction. It has been used for neither. For reference, see “Bux, Bossidy.” When Larry gave his $1 million for the improvement of parks, Pittsfield officials insulted the guy and spent it as they wished. Threw it away, actually. Look under “C” for “Corruption.”

J-99
That GE money was NEVER intended for home improvements. A terrible idea that follows a terrible precedent set by (1) The initial wasting of the GE money, which was meant for economic development and tax reduction, and (2) The wasting of Larry Bossidy’s $1 million gift.

Pittsfield Ma. Has the worst money grabbing landlords in the US.The drug house landlords make lots of cash off the drug business in Pittsfield….Mayor Tyer is not ever going to deal with the Pittsfield budget.She will never retire on 1300 a month SS and she does not have to think about that struggle.

I wouldn’t be a landlord in Pittsfield under any circumstances. First you have to subsidize the GOBs chosen landlords . And the only tenants available to you are poor quality while the chosen landlords get tax breaks.

Also when forced to evict it takes forever costing thousands…add to that fixing whatever they broke and cleaning mountains of garbage. Landlords who give a shit get and play by the rules get screwed by the system!

ERM
Thanks for posting this. It would be interesting to see who and what, if anyone or anything, is behind PP, other than Mrs. O’Leary. Let us remember, too, that it was Mrs. O’Leary’s cow who burned down Chicago. We wish her well. As the most positive and optimistic force advocating for Pittsfield, Mass., THE PLANET should have a place in PP as Honorary Emeritus Booster. The most optimistic view of the city MUST begin with a recognition of the shocking seriousness of its deterioration, an erosion of the economy, of the demographics, of the politics. When department heads basically tell the mayor to perform an anatomical possibility on herself (Come on down, DPW Chief), all the forced “optimism” and boosterism in the world won’t mean a thing.

So will the MSM drop Jussie Smollett criminal actions like a fresh hot turd?

1) He claimed to be beaten by two white men wearing MAGA hats, who made homophobic and racial slurs. Turns out false and were two African associates that he had hired.

“Smollett has been active in LBGTQ issues, and initial reports of the assault drew outrage and support for him on social media, including from Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and television talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. Harris called the alleged attack an “attempted modern day lynching.”

2) Sent himself a package with a threat and a powdered substance, later found to be aspirin.

“Not only is Smollett said to have staged his own attack, but may also be behind a threatening letter sent to himself on the set of Empire. WBBM Channel 2 reported on Tuesday that he “orchestrated” the assault after the letter failed to evoke a larger reaction from the public. The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating whether Smollett played a role in the letter’s January 22 delivery. The letter, which possessed powered aspirin and the phrase “Die black fag,” is undergoing analysis at an FBI crime lab, ABC News reported.”

Are these hoax staged “hate crimes”? Why did hollywierd ,the progressive left , and MSM, jump on board with this deviant? Both actions of Jussie Smollett are felonies.

Chicago PD Superintendent blasted the liberal media during today’s press conference. Liberal propaganda posing as the media is the enemy of the people. If Joseph Goebbels were alive today he’d be running CNN and MSNBC. He’d give Morning Joe a whole new twist.

Sure sounds to me like Amazon’s decision-makers had a grand epiphany. The realization came, almost too late, that locating major warehouse/headquarters operations in the heart of the most union-dominated city and state in the nation could unleash a nationwide effort to unionize all of Amazon’s far-flung warehouse operations.
Up to now, one of Amazon’s main competitive advantages in online sales and order fulfillment over the brick-and-mortar competition is that Amazon has been able to keep its labor costs low. But if that calculus were to change because of unionization of Amazon’s network of warehouses and an increase in labor costs, then Amazon’s competitive advantage would suffer. Same applies should Amazon lose its present sweet deal with the U.S. Postal Service providing Amazon with highly favorable shipping rates below what you or I would pay. Change that formula and Amazon’s advantage further deteriorates. It would not take much for Amazon’s costs to meet or exceed its brick-and-mortar competitors.
(One advantage Amazon used to enjoy over the competition, but no longer, was that Amazon was not legally required to collect state sales taxes on online sales. That is no longer the case. Amazon now collects sales taxes from customers who live in states requiring same, erasing what had been one of the original big advantages buying online from Amazon.)